What are archives and why do you want to use them?
Archives contain physical or digital copies of historical records. Comprised of primary source documents, archives are the accumulation of documents which are stored for “permanent or long-term preservation on [the] grounds of their enduring cultural, historical, or evidentiary value." The documents found within an archive are often unique, meaning that there is only one copy, and likely have not been published. For this reason, archives are an excellent resource to consult primary materials not available elsewhere on the web or in print.
Is a visit necessary?
Make sure you contact the archives by email or phone before you visit! Some archives require an appointment and don’t welcome drop-ins. It is also a good idea to get in contact before visiting to make sure they have what you need, and if necessary, make an appointment to meet with an archivist for a reference interview to help narrow down your scope of search.
Not all the material you may want to access is online or close to home, however, some of the major archives participate in an inter-institutional loan system. Contact the archive directly to see if they participate.
What is expected of you and how do you respect the material?
Before you are able to access the archives, registration is often required. This process usually involves filling out a form with your name, address, and area of research. Make sure you bring some valid I.D. as you will also need that to complete the registration. Any rules or regulations associated with the archives will be presented to you at this time, and then you will likely need to sign a waiver which states you will comply with the rules.
Depending on the archive in which you visit, along with being unique, the materials you may encounter can also be exceptionally fragile. For this reason pens, food, or other items which may damage the material are rarely allowed in reading rooms. While laptops are often allowed personal belongings like coats or backpacks generally are not. Leave any extra valuables at home, while secure storage is often provided it is not necessarily a guarantee.
How do I use the information?
Citations
The unique nature of the material you will find in archives make is essential to cite properly, but this is often a difficult task. For accurate citations, many archives have someone on staff, or can provide a set of instructions, to consult for accurate citations.
Copyright
As a researcher, you are responsible for determining copyright, and obtaining any necessary permissions to publish materials. Like other materials, archival material is subject to the terms and conditions of the Copyright Act. It is important to leave yourself enough time to establish any necessary permission to copy or publish the information you find. When in doubt it is best to consult archival staff.
Copying/Photocopying
Copies can often be made by an archivist, however, it should be noted that there is often a fee which goes along with this and varies from archive to archive.
UVic Archives
Archived photo of UVic's ring road
The UVic Archives preserve information related to: UVic historical records; private archives of people and organizations relating to the UVic community; and primary sources on anarchist studies, arts and culture, environmental studies, literary history and criticism, political and historical affairs, transgender studies, and women's studies.
For those who wish to visit the archives in person, they are open to faculty, staff, students, and the general public during the following times: September 1 to April 30: Monday to Friday, 8:30 am to 4:30 pm and May 1 to August 31: Monday to Friday, 10:30 am to 4:30 pm. Photo I.D is required at the use of pens is prohibited. For addresses, phone numbers, and email contacts please consult their listing on Memory BC. For more information on general etiquette and procedures while visiting archives please check out the What is expected of you and how do you respect the material? section of this wiki.
A visit to the archives will allow you full access to all the material; however, there are some options for searching materials online.The UVic archives historical Photograph Collection is one option.
UVic Historical Photograph Collection
There are both simple and advanced search options. With simple search, you are able to search by keyword, include or exclude a word, and enclose necessary elements in quotation marks. The advanced option allows you to narrow your focus by including elements such as the photographer, significant name(s), and the subject the photo falls under. This is a great option for when you need to find a very specific photograph.
advanced search
search by topic on the photo archive
The simple search on the main page allows you to collect general images. For example, if you wanted to search by topic for “women’s rights”, a list of options will appear and you then have the option to expand any listing to show a form similar to the one displayed below.
sample results from a photo search
The listing will include dates, a title, any notes and subjects as well as the scope, which allows you to gain some more context for the image. Lastly, the archival information will be listed to allow you access to the actual image in the archives if you choose to visit them in person.
The Martlet circa 1948
The Martlet Archives are another online resource allowing you to see scanned copies of the school paper dating back to 1948. You can also download copies in pdf format onto your personal computer.
UVic digital collections
The UVic Digital Collections Index is another great option for quickly finding information on a broad number of topics or to find specific information on any topic there is the option to search the entirety of the UVic Digital Collections using both simple and advanced search.
The City of Victoria Archives preserves and provides access to archival materials relevant to the civic and private history of the Victoria area.
Municipal archives are a valuable research tool when you are looking for specific local information. The City of Victoria Archives contains government records, photographs, newspaper clippings, maps, and information on local family history. The Archives also contains birth, marriage, and death notices, as well as burial records for Ross Bay Cemetery; these tools are especially valuable if you are tracing your genealogy. You can use the archives to establish background information, to verify facts, and to locate relevant primary and secondary sources.
You will likely need to visit the Archives to conduct a search. On the website, you will find lists of all the materials held by the Archives; consider consulting these before your visit. The Archives' only digitized resources are marriage, death, and burial notices; these resources are easily searchable through the Archives' Vital Statistics Search. The Archives are located at #8 Centennial Square in Victoria, and are open Monday to Friday from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm.
The BC Archives are the official archives of the Government of British Columbia. The BC Archives contain extensive archival materials which document the history, governance, and heritage of the province.
Provincial archives, such as the BC Archives, are a valuable research tool when you are looking for information that is broader in scope, and not specific to a particular municipality (for this type of information, see Municipal Archives).
Search the BC Archives when you require information at the provincial level, and not information specific to a particular city or municipality. The Archives offers an online genealogy database as well as private letters and journals, drawings, sound recordings, moving images, photographs, newspaper clippings, and much more. You can use the BC Archives to research provincial history, personal or family history, or legal history; rchives are useful for establishing foundational information and locating quality primary and secondary sources.
The BC Archives has an extensive online database. You can search the database with both “basic” and “advanced” options. To use the advanced search, first select which area you would like to search (ie, visual records, sound, textual records). Then, select advanced search.
Then, fill in your search points, or the keywords that you would like to search for. You can search within title, call number, or all text.
Click "Do Search" to see your results.
From the results list, you are able to further refine your search, to try a new search, or to organize the results.
The search results will let you know whether the record is available online, or whether you must visit the Archives. If a visit to the Archives is necessary, there are a few things to keep in mind. You must be over the age of 16, and will be required to present photo ID and fill out a registration form. You may bring a camera and are permitted to photograph archival items for research purposes. The Archives are housed at the Royal BC Museum in Victoria and are available for viewing Monday to Friday from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm.
The library and archives of Canada serve as a repository of culture, historical record, and publications of interest under the mandate "to acquire and preserve the documentary heritage". Spanning all mediums, from postal records to 8tracks, the archives of Canada are a rich record for all. The Library and Archives of Canada (LAC) provide services for the public, government, and other archives, libraries, and publishers.
On the homepage of the LAC website, searching is made easy with a directory of popular topics. While not all of these topics are fully searchable through the LAC (genealogy searches are processed through vital statistics) the site is exceptionally good at pointing users in the right direction for information not found there.
From the “Discover the Collection” tab, you can access the archives search which works in both basic and advanced forms. What you will soon discover is just how little of the archives are online.
To begin research click on the “Online Research by Topic” tab.
From there it is easy to access the archive search which runs in both a basic and advanced form. When you click on the advanced option it allows you to narrow your search by date and various kinds of keywords. There is also the option to relate the various fields using “and” or “or”.
Once you hit submit a list of hits will appear. These search hits are also grouped in various ways to help refine your search. Below is an example of the panel which will appear on the side of your screen to help you narrow your search.
If you are doing research on one of the indexed topics then searching is considerably easier. For example, if you hoped to find a record of a family member who served in WWI, you would begin by clicking on that topic in the “Online Research by Topic” section of the site and then “Soldiers of the First World War”.
From there you are redirected to a topic specific page where you must again click “search".
You are then given a form where you can provide the basic details of surname, given names, and regimental number(s). Depending on how much information you have, fill the form in accordingly.
This will render a list of results.
From there you can download the documents attached to that file.
Table of Contents
What are archives and why do you want to use them?
Archives contain physical or digital copies of historical records. Comprised of primary source documents, archives are the accumulation of documents which are stored for “permanent or long-term preservation on [the] grounds of their enduring cultural, historical, or evidentiary value." The documents found within an archive are often unique, meaning that there is only one copy, and likely have not been published. For this reason, archives are an excellent resource to consult primary materials not available elsewhere on the web or in print.
Is a visit necessary?
Make sure you contact the archives by email or phone before you visit! Some archives require an appointment and don’t welcome drop-ins. It is also a good idea to get in contact before visiting to make sure they have what you need, and if necessary, make an appointment to meet with an archivist for a reference interview to help narrow down your scope of search.
Not all the material you may want to access is online or close to home, however, some of the major archives participate in an inter-institutional loan system. Contact the archive directly to see if they participate.
What is expected of you and how do you respect the material?
Before you are able to access the archives, registration is often required. This process usually involves filling out a form with your name, address, and area of research. Make sure you bring some valid I.D. as you will also need that to complete the registration. Any rules or regulations associated with the archives will be presented to you at this time, and then you will likely need to sign a waiver which states you will comply with the rules.
Depending on the archive in which you visit, along with being unique, the materials you may encounter can also be exceptionally fragile. For this reason pens, food, or other items which may damage the material are rarely allowed in reading rooms. While laptops are often allowed personal belongings like coats or backpacks generally are not. Leave any extra valuables at home, while secure storage is often provided it is not necessarily a guarantee.
How do I use the information?
UVic Archives
For those who wish to visit the archives in person, they are open to faculty, staff, students, and the general public during the following times: September 1 to April 30: Monday to Friday, 8:30 am to 4:30 pm and May 1 to August 31: Monday to Friday, 10:30 am to 4:30 pm. Photo I.D is required at the use of pens is prohibited. For addresses, phone numbers, and email contacts please consult their listing on Memory BC. For more information on general etiquette and procedures while visiting archives please check out the What is expected of you and how do you respect the material? section of this wiki.
View Larger Map
A visit to the archives will allow you full access to all the material; however, there are some options for searching materials online.The UVic archives historical Photograph Collection is one option.
There are both simple and advanced search options. With simple search, you are able to search by keyword, include or exclude a word, and enclose necessary elements in quotation marks. The advanced option allows you to narrow your focus by including elements such as the photographer, significant name(s), and the subject the photo falls under. This is a great option for when you need to find a very specific photograph.
The simple search on the main page allows you to collect general images. For example, if you wanted to search by topic for “women’s rights”, a list of options will appear and you then have the option to expand any listing to show a form similar to the one displayed below.
The listing will include dates, a title, any notes and subjects as well as the scope, which allows you to gain some more context for the image. Lastly, the archival information will be listed to allow you access to the actual image in the archives if you choose to visit them in person.
The Martlet Archives are another online resource allowing you to see scanned copies of the school paper dating back to 1948. You can also download copies in pdf format onto your personal computer.
The UVic Digital Collections Index is another great option for quickly finding information on a broad number of topics or to find specific information on any topic there is the option to search the entirety of the UVic Digital Collections using both simple and advanced search.
Municipal Archives
City of Victoria Archives
The City of Victoria Archives preserves and provides access to archival materials relevant to the civic and private history of the Victoria area.
Municipal archives are a valuable research tool when you are looking for specific local information. The City of Victoria Archives contains government records, photographs, newspaper clippings, maps, and information on local family history. The Archives also contains birth, marriage, and death notices, as well as burial records for Ross Bay Cemetery; these tools are especially valuable if you are tracing your genealogy. You can use the archives to establish background information, to verify facts, and to locate relevant primary and secondary sources.
You will likely need to visit the Archives to conduct a search. On the website, you will find lists of all the materials held by the Archives; consider consulting these before your visit. The Archives' only digitized resources are marriage, death, and burial notices; these resources are easily searchable through the Archives' Vital Statistics Search. The Archives are located at #8 Centennial Square in Victoria, and are open Monday to Friday from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm.
View Larger Map
Provincial Archives
The BC Archives
Provincial archives, such as the BC Archives, are a valuable research tool when you are looking for information that is broader in scope, and not specific to a particular municipality (for this type of information, see Municipal Archives).
Search the BC Archives when you require information at the provincial level, and not information specific to a particular city or municipality. The Archives offers an online genealogy database as well as private letters and journals, drawings, sound recordings, moving images, photographs, newspaper clippings, and much more. You can use the BC Archives to research provincial history, personal or family history, or legal history; rchives are useful for establishing foundational information and locating quality primary and secondary sources.
The BC Archives has an extensive online database. You can search the database with both “basic” and “advanced” options. To use the advanced search, first select which area you would like to search (ie, visual records, sound, textual records). Then, select advanced search.
Then, fill in your search points, or the keywords that you would like to search for. You can search within title, call number, or all text.
Click "Do Search" to see your results.
From the results list, you are able to further refine your search, to try a new search, or to organize the results.
The search results will let you know whether the record is available online, or whether you must visit the Archives. If a visit to the Archives is necessary, there are a few things to keep in mind. You must be over the age of 16, and will be required to present photo ID and fill out a registration form. You may bring a camera and are permitted to photograph archival items for research purposes. The Archives are housed at the Royal BC Museum in Victoria and are available for viewing Monday to Friday from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm.
View Larger Map
Federal Archives
Library and Archives of Canada
The library and archives of Canada serve as a repository of culture, historical record, and publications of interest under the mandate "to acquire and preserve the documentary heritage". Spanning all mediums, from postal records to 8tracks, the archives of Canada are a rich record for all. The Library and Archives of Canada (LAC) provide services for the public, government, and other archives, libraries, and publishers.
On the homepage of the LAC website, searching is made easy with a directory of popular topics. While not all of these topics are fully searchable through the LAC (genealogy searches are processed through vital statistics) the site is exceptionally good at pointing users in the right direction for information not found there.
From the “Discover the Collection” tab, you can access the archives search which works in both basic and advanced forms. What you will soon discover is just how little of the archives are online.
To begin research click on the “Online Research by Topic” tab.
From there it is easy to access the archive search which runs in both a basic and advanced form. When you click on the advanced option it allows you to narrow your search by date and various kinds of keywords. There is also the option to relate the various fields using “and” or “or”.
Once you hit submit a list of hits will appear. These search hits are also grouped in various ways to help refine your search. Below is an example of the panel which will appear on the side of your screen to help you narrow your search.
If you are doing research on one of the indexed topics then searching is considerably easier. For example, if you hoped to find a record of a family member who served in WWI, you would begin by clicking on that topic in the “Online Research by Topic” section of the site and then “Soldiers of the First World War”.
From there you are redirected to a topic specific page where you must again click “search".
You are then given a form where you can provide the basic details of surname, given names, and regimental number(s). Depending on how much information you have, fill the form in accordingly.
This will render a list of results.
From there you can download the documents attached to that file.
External Links and Resources
Using archives, a practical guide (http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/04/0416_e.html)
What is an archives? (http://archivists.ca/sites/default/files/Attachments/Outreach_attachments/Whats-an-Archives.PDF)
www.archivists.ca
http://nbca.library.unbc.ca/using-archival-material/how-to-use-archival-material/
http://www.sfu.ca/archives/ap_index/ap_pol-proc-stand/ap_archcitn.html
http://www.lib.mtu.edu/mtuarchives/citation.aspx
Video Resources
A how to guide for searching UVic, municipal, provincial, and federal archives.